Bike Polo

The Olympic Dream

Last Friday at the Critical Mass (before we set off) someone piped up to say that a group of people on a Thursday 6.30 in Bedminster meet up to play Polo on bikes.
I spent the whole of yesterday at work discussing certain aspects, Although like me no-one had come across this sport. Even down to the fact with an article I had seen on BBC sports buletin mentioning the potential of it becomming an olympic sport, I was wondering whether to get a tattoo of the Olypmic rings on my forearm or just below my shoulders. However the main discussion was with how to hold the mallet, whether to use my strong arm(left)and hover my other hand over the front brake which could mean I may end up over the handlebars. Or hold it in my right hand and use the back brake which would mean I could struggle hitting the ball. Actually I should edit that to my strongest arm because I probably have the strength of a 12 year old.

So, 6.20 I turned up at Dean Lane Skate Park, a bit early to soak up the atmosphere. This was 2 guys doing some graffiti, some lads pulling off some rad tricks on their skateboards and a pissed/strange man playing 'give us a clue' on his own. I thought I better become cool before everyone turns up, so I took off my cycling helmet and bum bag and put these in my cycling panniers. It was now getting to 6.40, no-one was about so I cycled the park looking around for other athletes, no joy. So I then rang my girfriend to use a search engine to look for Bike+Polo+Bedminster and up came BS3 Ghetto Polo(where I stole the photo!) She confirmed that it was at Dean Lane and after I hung up on the phone three other people turned up. I had a little practice when someone said it would be easier if you took the pannier bags off your bike, smooth.

The sport Polo was the real reason I was blogging so I better mention something of it. Two teams of three compete in a tennis hard court with small goals. It starts with a joust where someone shouts 3-2-1 Polo and you cycle towards a little ball in the centre to contest. Now I saw this as a car crash waiting to happen so everytime we stated a game I held back slightly to save my bike's paintwork. If you put a foot on the floor you had to 'tap out' which consisted of cycling to the mid point and tapping your mallet on the side. The only other rules were no hitting of bikes, no throwing mallets and the only way you could score was from the end of the mallet not the side.

We had a load of mini games as it is the first team to score five wins. Luckily there where two other Polo virgins, so when it came to picking teams I was always picked on one side and one of them were on the other. It was harder than I thought and my Olympic dream was dashed within the 1st game where I spent most of the game tapping out or going round in circles to get the ball. It is harder than you think cycling for a large period of time leaning over your handle bars with your fingers twitching over the front brake and trying to swing a Ski pole with a bit of UPVC tubing at a small ball. It was at this point I now noticed why people had cut Estate Agent signs into the shape of their wheels to attatch to their bikes, to save their spokes!

After around 3 hours my first experience of Bike Polo, it was over, I had scored a couple of goals, set-up a few but most of all I had a bucket full of fun. The highlights for me were looking down at the ball aiming to shoot when I forgot to apply the brake and ended up crashing into an opponent(a lesson learnt quickly). Also when someone tried to shoulder barge me which I anticipated and leaned in at the same time, this meant we locked horns and cycled together for two seconds. When I got off my bike my hand was locked in a claw shape and I had worn away a big bit of my glove but I had seriously enjoyed myself meeting some very friendly people. After the games they invited me back next Thursday and I accepted, however I may try and practice in the garden with a broom and tennis ball.

I cycled back and made myself a well deserved Fish and Chips supper.

Louis

3 Piers Cycle Tour (well sort of)

Right this is the most nervous I have been about writing a journal, The success of my previous posts, well I got a thumbs up from my Mum and Girlfriend, means I need to better it. So much so I was contemplating getting a Dictaphone to strap to my handlebars to capture as much detail as possible.

As I knew I was going on a 'big' ride I thought it would be better to be prepared. I ate a bowl of porridge, had a cup of coffee and a glass of smoothie. I filled my bag with leftovers pasta from the previous night's dinner, a spare inner tube and a copy of the Daily Mail's free Britain Road atlas(forgot to mention in last blog my Dad handed me their copy last Saturday). It was at this stage I thought, I wonder if Mark Cavendish has to pack his own bag on the tour? Actually my mind wandered completely off track.

The question to pop up was what was more rules gone mad; when Lance Armstrong and his Team squad wore black jerseys featuring the number 28 (to signify the number of millions of people worldwide dealing with cancer) and were advised to change in the recent tour or the fact the bin men couldn't go on our drive to pick up our black bin. Yes I forgot to put the bins out again! Oh well another two weeks hopefully they won't be overfilled otherwise bureaucracy suggests the bin men wont be able to take them in case of injury. Right rant over, 9:15 off on my cycle.

Now I realise with my writings I have some Bristolians and a lot of non-locals so thought I would add tips from time to time. After pumping my tyres I set off on my travels the way the AA website suggests is the best non-motorway a follows a scenic route (which if non-locals ever come to visit) I cycled past Bristol Zoo now this reminds me of a story forever floating round normally around April fools, the car park attendant is official do not believe anything else about a guy grifting money for 6 years or more so do get a ticket. I cycled past this only to find out the road after was closed off.

So I detoured back around the Durdham Downs and down Park Street and next to the River Avon passed the SS Great Britain (40th year going worth a visit). I then got on the A370, I have travelled to Weston-Super-Mare on many occasion so I thought the easiest way would be to put my head down and cycle the way the Romans wanted us to. Within the 20 Miles there were only a couple of highlights, an Eddie Stobart lorry which I tried to get to use their horn but they weren't playing the game. Also a restaurant called Flavours an exclusive Indian restaurant, which I couldn't work out if that meant it only sold Indian food or it sold Indian food to a certain clientele.

Pier 1 (Weston)

I arrived on Weston Seafront 2 hours later, what a disappointment, it could be known as the Blackpool of the South but at the moment it is in its transitional period renovations everywhere. On to the beach, there was a Sand sculpture exhibition, luckily there was a hole in the scaffolding so I could take a picture using my camera and we all can save ourselves £5. I followed my way around the seafront taking various pictures of the newly built pier, when I came to a place called Kewstoke and Sand Bay. My objective at the start of the day was to cycle round Weston then take the coastal road down to Burnham it all looked easy although my map reading skills aren't up to scratch so an hour later and a tour of Weston and its surroundings I was back on track on my tour. However if I hadn't got lost I would not have found Sparky. Basically there has been a number of Donkeys sponsored by companies placed around the town and I had found one.

Pier 2 (Burnham)
I then cycled via Bleadon, Berrow and on to Burnham on Sea. This is where I found the best poster, Pig & Donkey racing for charity near Berrow, £2 admission prams and pushchairs for free. However 100 yards down the road outside a pub was a sign for a hog roast on Saturday. I'd like to think that it was an extreme race and the slowest pig loses its life, a modern day Darwinism. So Pub quiz pens and paper at the ready the answer to the UK's smallest pier number 2 on the tour, Burnham on Sea. This is the spot I chose to take lunch, opposite a Morrison's and a Wetherspoons it was either my pasta or lunch at the Ritz, and the hotel isn't a patch on its sister establishment!



Cycling away from Burnham and Highbrige I cycled the B3139 towards a village called Mark this is where if you haven't been, there is a big resilience to Pylons, there campaign was Pylon moor pressure. Can you see what they did there, genius. I then cycled to Cross and stumbled across the Sustrans Strawberry Line between Winscombe and Axbridge, I didn't have a clue which way to go until an old boy said the route past Winscombe would take me towards Clevedon. This was the best cycle path as it took me through a pitch black tunnel which was scary and the Thatchers Cider orchard.

Pier 3
The track took me all the way to within 2 miles of Clevedon the third pier. But by this time I had about enough and the extra 4 miles would have been too much. So I followed another route to Nailsea and found out something amazing, I thought Nailsea was a little village and even stopped at the village shop to get a fizzy drink. On the outside there was a sign stating they sell Thatcher's cider in 2ft plastic re-usable containers, if only I had more storage on my bike. Anyway I cycled out of the village and past the town centre and a massive Tescos it is bigger than I thought! I cycled back via Long Ashton and through a solar panel speed checker which to my amazement picked me up at 14MPH. So I then cycled back home to a well deserved cup of tea and a nice bath at 5pm.

9-5 what a way to make a living. Yes after all that cycling I am still walking like John Wayne.

Day Out in London

What an eventful day

Okay normally I blog about cycling which involves training towards my charity challenge in September but I had such an amazing day that I thought I would share it.

I have never really understood how someone can say it has been a long day, as apart from when the clocks go back any day can surely only be 24 hours? However considering I woke at 5.45am and went to bed at 2am this morning, I made the most of it. This may have also contributed to me having a day of relaxing blogging rather than cycling.

The reason I woke so early was I had a train to catch at Bristol Temple Meads at 8am so I needed to leave just after 7am. This is where I had my first 'LOL' of the day, In carriage B, a child was playing with his handheld computer console when he got bored. So he got a pen and paper out, wrote A to Z down the left hand side of the paper and started to think of sports for each letter. A for Archery B for Baseball etc his mum helping when he seemed stuck. His mum then went to the buffet cart to get some snacks, this is when getting to L he put Lion Taming, classic, I can't wait for the 2028 Olympics in Africa when Lion Taming makes an appearance!

Which reminds me thought I better get something cycling related in. 2012 Olympics will be ther first time that Bike Polo makes an appearance. Like Polo but on bicycles, does exactly what it says on the tin. Bristol has a group of cyclists that get together on a Thursday at 6.30pm in Bedminster, Dean Lane. It was announced by someone in the Critical Mass Friday before we set off. I was thinking of going along in the next couple of weeks to see if I am any good as it will be the closest I may get to entering the Olympics. Unfortunately Baseball was his B, hopefully in the future on trains or other places of boredom kids in the will put down Bike Polo.

I arrived in London went for a spot of brunch, then on to the main reason I went up, to watch Arsenal in the Emirates cup. This is when I got off the Tube and decided to see the flats at the old Highbury. We (me and my Dad) were looking round the outside when a resident went through a gate into the complex, left the door open and a few Arsenal fans ventured in, so we thought why not. The flats are in place where the stands used to be, even down to the point the address for the properties come East Stand etc. The communal garden is where the pitch used to be.


I think the Arsenal groundsman would be livid if he could see the state of the grass at Highbury now









After security asked everyone to move on we made a swift exit. We then walked to the Emirates where i bought two drink and some biscuits this will become clear later. Right a moneysving tip without a shouting tenor in sight. The shop didn't have any prices, slap bang outside the Emirates I knew it wouldn't be cheap so I bought products with promotional prices on the packaging and got 2x500ml of Irun Bru and packet of HobNob biscuits as I knew I couldn't get overcharged, £2.38, a bargain.

Next into the Arsenal shop i picked myself up a lunch box when the phone went, it was my friend saying did I really have a 42" chest? The suit company had given the wrong details to the Reading shop, amateurs.

We then went into the Stadium, had a couple of Beers and took our seats ready to watch Celtic v Lyon. The game was really good for a friendly, loads of action, when about 15 minutes in I clocked the party of people in the seats in front were two families linked by a newly married couple. Now you may well ask how did I know this? Because they spent the rest of the game looking at the Wedding and Honeymoon Albums. I love People watching, now back to the story, this is where the drinks come in. By this stage I was a little parched, so I opened up a bottle of Irun Bru and it must of fizzed up in my new lunch box, it went everywhere, like a Golden shower all over their photobook they weren't best impressed. The football game by the way ended 2-2.

Then on to the big game, Arsenal versus AC Milan it was a mixture of 1st Team and Squad players, forgotten how exciting it is to watch live football. Highlights were seeing new signings Koscielny and Chamakh and the youth of Wilshire and Frimpong. A tip for fantasy fans get Koscielny in he looks quality and had a great understanding with Vermaelen. The game ended 1-1 with Chamakh scoring for Arsenal on his home debut, after a man behind was moaning Arshavin hadn't done anything only for him to set the striker up 14 seconds later, comedy timing.

After the game we walked to Islington and had an amazing meal in a Turkish restaurant called Gallipoli 102 Upper Street. It was a little cramped but the service and food were excellent. In the middle of this I got a phone call from the suit company saying they had mixed up my measurements. I wondered if they were in fact having the longest day ever as it was now 7pm and still ringing customers! When it came to paying for the meal the waitress commented on how alike we were, which I couldn't work out to take as a compliment or insult.

We then went to a pub towards The Angel called the Bull, we had 3 pints. This might make me a tourist but it was amazing to get served in a pub in London, everytime a pint of Doombar and Peroni was bought the round came to a different amount. When then I realised I had a train to catch. Now here comes another moneysaving tip. Get yourself train tickets a soon as they are released off their website. So, First Great Western and other local providers will release tickets 9 weeks in advance, you will then be able to get a ticket like me, £12 from London to Bristol. However it means you have to get a particular train.

So it was 9.50pm we necked off our pints and after 6 beers and half a bottle of wine each we walked extremely fast to the Angel station, on the underground I changed tubes at King's Cross and arrived at Paddington with 10 minutes before my train left. I sat on the train reading my programme when I fell asleep, luckily the train ended at Bristol and not South Wales as I was woken by the cleaner 15 minutes after the train was due to arrive in.

This was now 12.30, I decided to start walking when it bucketed down with rain. Lesson to learn, now if you are a lass out on the town I understand you may have spent alot on your barnet but do not try to run for shelter in heals, in the rain. I must have seen 3 separate occasions where they tripped and fell. I then walked past a bus stop at 1am and found a night bus, this is where I made my 2nd 'LOL'. For anyone doesn't know, the bus is a flat £2.50 to any stop.

The driver asked everyone where they wanted to go, when a pissed up Bristolian quips "the moon, drive". He didn't even flinch and said "that will be £2.50".

It was then time to go to bed.